Monday, February 8, 2010

Emma (Masterpiece Classics)

Since I am not really very talented at this whole review thing, I won't say much. Instead I will just post a link to the website where you can watch this yourself in case you missed it. I love PBS Masterpiece Classic!

Click here to watch all three episodes online, available today through March 9th. It is worth the watch for sure!

After watching this version I really want to watch the other two versions. This one is the one I have seen before (I own it), and this one I haven't seen before, but I would like to watch it! (There is a slight possibility I could get hubby to watch this one with me since Kate Beckinsale is in it, and my husband is in love with her!)

At first I wasn't sure what to think of this version, having only seen this one I was partial to Gwyneth Paltrow and whenever I see Johnny Lee Miller I can only think of him as a Edmund Bertram from this version of Mansfield Park. (One of my all time faves!!) However, I grew to love it more and more as I watched it. The characters took some time to get used to, since I kept thinking of the other version, but I like how it played out, and I think some of them were better portrayed in this version. I guess I really just need to read the book again, it has been to long, but I don't know when I will find the time for that with all that is already on the list right now!

I liked several of the characters in this one, but I associated them all with different movies. (As I mentioned with Johnny Lee Miller above, who played Mr. Knightly.) Emma was played by Ramola Garai (Atonement, Vanity Fair, Nicholas Nickleby) and I think she did a good job. I wasn't overly impressed with Emma's father, (Michael Gambon-Dumbledore!!) he was played as almost crazy/depressed due to the early death of his wife. Therefore he was overly dependent on Emma for everything and constantly worried about his and everyone's health. But, I guess that is how he was..which is why Emma felt that she had to stay with him constantly and couldn't leave him to travel or even to get married! (There is always at least one person completely dependent on the Austen Herions, and often times everyone depended on them, I wonder if that is how she felt in her life?) I liked how Mr. Elton and Augusta Elton were played, so shallow and conceited, but I kept thinking of What a Girl Wants with Amanda Bynes when I saw Christina Cole. (I know, I am silly, but I really do like those cheesy movies-Amanda Bynes is too funny...don't even get me started on She's the Man-love it!!) In this version the characters were younger and prettier than in the other version I have seen. Some of them seemed too old in that one, so I will admit I liked the younger look of everyone in this version better. (Or maybe I am just getting older so people seem younger to me now!)

The Ball scene, in episode 2, is one of my favorites from the entire movie. When Mr. Knightly and Emma dance together you can really see their love for each other growing, whether they realize it or not!

**Spoiler Alert-if you haven't watched the movie-you might not want to read this next part**

I also liked how in the end, her Mr. Knightly took her to the sea. It was so sweet. Again, I need to re-read the book because I have no remembrance of this, is it actually in the book? But I liked it for the ending of a sweet love story!

If you want to read the Synopsis of each of the three episodes you can go here.And don't forget to go here and watch them!